U.S. patent application number 13/280747 was filed with the patent office on 2013-04-25 for shim sleeve for pivoting buttons.
This patent application is currently assigned to Apple Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Teodor Dabov, Tyson Manullang. Invention is credited to Teodor Dabov, Tyson Manullang.
Application Number | 20130098191 13/280747 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48134871 |
Filed Date | 2013-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130098191 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Manullang; Tyson ; et
al. |
April 25, 2013 |
SHIM SLEEVE FOR PIVOTING BUTTONS
Abstract
A shim sleeve for pivot buttons is described herein. One
embodiment may take the form of button assembly with a stem and a
receiving portion pivotally coupled to the stem. The stem is
positioned within an aperture of the receiving portion, with the
aperture providing a gap between the receiving portion and the
stem. A shim sleeve having non-uniform thickness is coupled over
the stem and positioned between the receiving portion and the stem.
The shim sleeve is configured to reduce the gap between the
receiving portion and the stem.
Inventors: |
Manullang; Tyson;
(Sunnyvale, CA) ; Dabov; Teodor; (San Francisco,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Manullang; Tyson
Dabov; Teodor |
Sunnyvale
San Francisco |
CA
CA |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Apple Inc.
Cupertino
CA
|
Family ID: |
48134871 |
Appl. No.: |
13/280747 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
74/491 ;
29/428 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01H 2223/04 20130101;
Y10T 74/20396 20150115; G06F 3/0234 20130101; H05K 5/0017 20130101;
G05G 1/04 20130101; H01H 2221/016 20130101; Y10T 29/49826 20150115;
H01H 13/705 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
74/491 ;
29/428 |
International
Class: |
G05G 1/02 20060101
G05G001/02; B23P 11/00 20060101 B23P011/00 |
Claims
1. A button assembly, comprising: a stem; a receiving portion
pivotally coupled to the stem, wherein the stem is positioned
within an aperture of the receiving portion, the aperture providing
a gap between the receiving portion and the stem; and a shim sleeve
having a non-uniform thickness coupled over the stem and positioned
between the receiving portion and the stem, the shim sleeve
configured to reduce the gap between the receiving portion and the
stem.
2. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the shim sleeve is
generally shaped like a cylinder with a portion of a sidewall of
the cylinder cut-away.
3. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the shim sleeve
comprises a smooth and slippery material.
4. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the shim sleeve
comprises metal.
5. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the shim sleeve
comprises a top portion and a side portion, the top portion being
thicker than the side portion.
6. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the shim sleeve
comprises a top portion and a side portion, the side portion being
thicker than the top portion.
7. The button assembly of claim 1, wherein the stem extends
perpendicularly from a base and the button assembly further
comprising a plurality of switch elements located on the base
adjacent to the stem.
8. The button assembly of claim 7, wherein the receiving portion is
coupled to a plurality of buttons, the plurality of buttons
associated with the plurality of switch elements.
9. The button assembly of claim 7, further comprising a gasket
shimming a gap between the receiving portion and one of the
plurality of switch elements.
10. The button assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a pivoting
body; a base; and a plurality of sensors on the base adjacent to
the receiving portion, wherein the base comprises the receiving
portion and the stem extends from a pivoting body.
11. An apparatus, comprising: a base; a button movably coupled to
the base through a shaft and a shaft receiving portion, the shaft
receiving portion defining an arcuate structure configured to
receive at least a portion of the shaft; and a shim coupled between
the shaft and the shaft receiving portion, the shim having a first
surface configured to engage the portion of the shaft and a second
surface configured to engage at least a portion of the arcuate
structure of the shaft receiving portion.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the shim pivots with the
shaft receiving portion about the shaft.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the shim is generally
spherically shaped and the button is configured to move in a
plurality of axes.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the shim comprises a recess
configured to allow the shim to be coupled between the shaft and
the shaft receiving portion.
15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the base comprises the shaft
and the button comprises the shaft receiving portion.
16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a sensor coupled
to the button, the sensor configured to provide a signal indicative
of movement of the button.
17. A method of manufacturing a button assembly, comprising:
positioning a pivoting body within a housing, the pivoting body
pivotally coupled to the housing through a shaft and a shaft
receiving portion, the shaft receiving portion defining an arcuate
structure configured to receive at least a portion of the shaft;
and after the pivoting body is positioned within the housing,
shimming the shaft with a sleeve positioned between the shaft and
the arcuate structure, the sleeve configured to reduce a gap
between the shaft and the shaft receiving portion.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the sleeve is eccentrically
shaped and comprises a smooth and slippery material.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising shimming a switch
with a gasket, the switch associated with the button body.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the pivoting body comprises a
plurality of buttons and the sleeve comprises an extruded arcuate
structure.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application generally relates to mechanical
button assemblies and, more particularly, to a shim sleeve for
pivot button assemblies.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The operation of a conventional push-type mechanical button
generally entails a linear displacement of the button by force. The
displacement of the button may actuate one or more sensors (e.g., a
switch), which may in turn cause an electrical signal to be
transmitted. Specifically, the linear motion of the force on the
button is transferred linearly to a sensor. For example, when an
"up" volume button is pushed on an electronic device such as a cell
phone or a music player, the button may actuate a sensor that in
turn transmits a signal to the device's processor in order to
increase the volume for the device.
[0003] Pivot-type mechanical buttons are different from push-type
mechanical buttons in that pivot-type mechanical buttons typically
have a body that pivots about an axis, with one or more buttons
coupled to the pivoting body. A force applied to a button of a
pivot-type button's body, for example, may create a torque about
the pivot point of the pivot body, which displaces the button to
actuate a sensor, as opposed to transferring linear force to a
sensor in push-type mechanical buttons.
SUMMARY
[0004] Embodiments may take the form of shim sleeves for pivot
buttons. For example, embodiment may take the form of a button
assembly having a stem and a receiving portion pivotally coupled to
the stem. The stem is positioned within an aperture of the body,
with the aperture of the receiving portion providing a gap between
the receiving portion and the stem. A shim sleeve having a
non-uniform thickness is coupled over the stem and positioned
between the receiving portion and the stem. The shim sleeve is
configured to reduce the gap between the receiving portion and the
stem.
[0005] Another embodiment may take the form of an apparatus with a
base and a button movably coupled to the base through a shaft and a
shaft receiving portion. The shaft receiving portion defines an
arcuate structure configured to receive at least a portion of the
shaft. A shim is coupled between the shaft and the shaft receiving
portion and has first and second surfaces. The first surface of the
shim is configured to engage the portion of the shaft. The second
surface of the shim is configured to engage at least a portion of
the arcuate structure of the shaft receiving portion.
[0006] In yet another embodiment, a method of manufacture may
include positioning a pivoting body within a housing, with the
pivoting body pivotally coupled to the housing through a shaft and
a shaft receiving portion. The shaft receiving portion defines an
arcuate structure configured to receive at least a portion of the
shaft. After the pivoting body is positioned within the housing, a
shimming sleeve is positioned between the shaft and the arcuate
structure. The sleeve is configured to reduce a gap between the
shaft and the shaft receiving portion.
[0007] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other
embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those
skilled in the art from the following Detailed Description. As will
be realized, the embodiments are capable of modifications in
various aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of
the embodiments. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description
are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not
restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1A illustrates a device with an embodiment of a
pivoting button assembly.
[0009] FIG. 1B is a partial cross-sectional view of the pivoting
button assembly of FIG. 1A taken along line 1B-1B in FIG. 1A.
[0010] FIG. 1C is a perspective view of an embodiment of a shim
sleeve for a pivoting button assembly.
[0011] FIG. 1D is a perspective view of an embodiment of a shim
sleeve for a pivoting button assembly.
[0012] FIG. 2A is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment
of a pivoting button assembly.
[0013] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of an embodiment of a shim
sleeve for a pivoting button assembly.
[0014] FIG. 2C is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment
of a pivoting button assembly.
[0015] FIG. 2D is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment
of a pivoting button assembly.
[0016] FIG. 3A illustrates a device with an embodiment of a
pivoting button assembly.
[0017] FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view of the pivoting
button assembly of FIG. 3A taken along line 3B-3B in FIG. 3A.
[0018] FIG. 4A illustrates a device with an embodiment of a
pivoting button assembly.
[0019] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an embodiment of a shim
sleeve for a pivoting pivot button assembly.
[0020] FIG. 4C is a bottom view of the shim sleeve of FIG. 4B
viewed along line 4C-4C in FIG. 4B.
[0021] FIG. 4D is a side view of the shim sleeve of FIG. 4B viewed
along line 4D-4D in FIG. 4B.
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates a device with an embodiment of a pivoting
button assembly.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of
manufacturing a pivoting button assembly using a shim sleeve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] A shim sleeve is disclosed for use in a pivoting button
assembly. In some embodiments, the shim sleeve is coupled between a
receiving portion and a shaft in order to provide a better fit
between the receiving portion and the shaft. The shim sleeve may be
extruded, and may generally have an outer cross section of any of a
number of different shapes including a circle, oval, square,
triangle, and so forth. Also, an inner portion of the shim sleeve
may be hollow in order to fit over the shaft. The outer cross
section and the shape of the inner portion of the shim sleeve may
generally correspond to the shape of the receiving portion and the
shaft, respectively.
[0025] The shim sleeve may take up manufacturing and assembly
tolerances and preload the pivoting button. The shim sleeve may
also allow for convenient assembly of a device incorporating a
shimmed pivoting button--for example towards the end of the
manufacturing process. The button assembly that receives the shim
sleeve may also be configured to allow the shim sleeve to be easily
removed and/or replaced during prototyping or normal operation of
the device in some embodiments.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 1A, a device 10 with a pivoting button
assembly 100 is illustrated. The pivoting button assembly 100 may
include a plurality of buttons. For example, two buttons 102, 104
are illustrated in FIG. 1A which allow for user input to the device
10 and may correspond to particular functions of the device. For
example, the buttons 102, 104 may provide volume control, up and
down scrolling, zoom functionality, and so forth. The device 10 in
FIG. 1A may be a cell phone, smart phone, media player or the like.
In other embodiments, however, the device 10 may be a camera, a
remote control for a television or other content device, a game
controller with a four-way direction pad, a game controller with a
multi-directional joystick, or any type of device with one or more
pivoted buttons or other control elements. The two buttons 102, 104
illustrated in FIG. 1A may have opposite functions, for example
volume up and volume down, or zoom in and zoom out. As such, the
button assembly 100 may be a pivoting-type button assembly with a
two-way pivoting body coupling the two buttons 102, 104 in a
seesaw-like manner, with the pivot point being below the
approximate middle of the two buttons 102, 104.
[0027] As a result of the pivot point being below the approximate
middle of the two buttons, 102, 104, when the first button 102 is
depressed, the pivoting button assembly 100 may rotate about the
pivot point such that the portion of the two-way pivoting body
coupled to the first button 102 is sloped down towards the
direction of force on the first button 102 and the portion of the
two-way pivoting body coupled to the second button 104 is
consequently sloped up in the opposite direction of force on the
first button 102. Similarly, when the second button 104 is
depressed, the pivoting button assembly 100 may rotate about the
pivot point such that the portion of the two-way pivoting body
coupled to the second button 104 is sloped down towards the
direction of force on the second button 104 and the portion of the
two-way pivoting body coupled to the first button 102 is
consequently sloped up in the opposite direction of force on the
second button 104. This pivoting action between the two buttons
102, 104 may prevent a user from depressing both buttons 102, 104
at the same time. Further, the pivoting action may provide tactile
feedback for a user depressing one of the two buttons 102, 104.
[0028] A partial cross-sectional view of the button assembly 100 of
FIG. 1A taken along line 1B-1B of the device 10 is illustrated in
FIG. 1B. As illustrated, a two-way pivoting body 140 is positioned
with the housing 110 of the device. The housing 110 may include an
upper cover 112 and a (lower) base 114. The upper cover 112 and the
base 114 may generally be made from any suitable material including
metal, plastic, wood, glass, and so forth. In one embodiment, the
upper cover 112 and the base 114 may both be made of aluminum. As
illustrated in FIG. 1B, the base 114 may also include a stem 116, a
portion of which may be the pivot point for the pivoting button
assembly 100. The stem 116 may extend perpendicularly from the base
114 and may include a relatively narrow shaft and a generally round
top. The stem 116 may be fixed with respect to the base 114 by, for
example welding the stem 116 to the base 114. In other embodiments,
the stem is integrally a part of the base 114 in that the stem 116
may have been molded or formed with the base 114.
[0029] One or more sensors 122, 124 (such as switching elements)
may be coupled to the base 114. The two sensors 122, 124
illustrated in FIG. 1B may correspond, for example, to a pair of
volume control buttons, with a first sensor 122 corresponding with
an "up" volume control and a second sensor 124 corresponding with a
"down" volume control. The sensors may send respective electrical
signals to a processor in response to the sensors being actuated by
a mechanical force.
[0030] The two-way pivoting body 140 illustrated in FIG. 1B is
positioned within the housing 110 of the device 10, and coupled to
the base 114 via the stem 116. The two-way pivoting body 140 may
include and/or be coupled to the two buttons 102, 104. As
illustrated in FIG. 1B, the two buttons 102, 104 may integrally be
part of the two-way pivoting body 140, although in other
embodiments the two buttons 102, 104 may be distinct from the
two-way pivoting body 140 but glued, welded, or otherwise coupled
to the two-way pivoting body 140. The two-way pivoting body 140 may
include a first portion 142 configured to engage the first sensor
122 and a second portion 144 configured to engage the second sensor
124.
[0031] The two-way pivoting body 140 illustrated in FIG. 1A also
includes an aperture such as a shaft receiving portion 146 near the
middle of the two-way pivoting body 140 that is configured to be
coupled with the stem 116. The shaft receiving portion 146 may have
two generally parallel sidewalls and an arcuate upper portion
between the two generally parallel sidewalls. The shaft receiving
portion 146 may generally be longer and wider than the stem 116,
but may not have as great of height as the stem 116 in some
embodiments. The shaft receiving portion, however, may have a
greater height than the generally round top of the stem 116 as
illustrated in FIG. 1B. As such, when the two-way pivoting body 140
is positioned within the housing 110, an assembly gap may exist
between the two-way pivoting body 140 and the stem 116 of the
housing 110. This assembly gap may allow for the two-way pivoting
body 140 to be positioned within the housing 110 during
manufacturing, but may be undesirable during operation of the two
buttons 102, 104 because it may allow too much movement of the
two-way pivoting body 140 (and therefore too much movement of the
two buttons 102, 104) during operation. The two-way pivoting body
140 may include one or more access openings in order to allow a
shim sleeve 150 to be inserted into the pivoting button assembly
100 during manufacturing, as described below in connection with
FIG. 6. In other embodiments, however, the two-way pivoting body
140 may not include any access openings.
[0032] A shim sleeve 150 may be coupled between the shaft receiving
portion 146 of the two-way pivoting body 140 and the stem 116, as
shown in FIG. 1B. The shim sleeve may reduce the assembly gap
between the two-way pivoting body 140 and the stem 116. The shim
sleeve may also reduce undesirable movement of the two-way pivoting
body 140 within the housing, and may prevent the two-way pivoting
body 140 and the stem 116 from wearing due to such movement. The
shim sleeve 150 may also preload the two-way pivoting body 140 in
order to adjust the ease with which the two-way pivoting body 140
can pivot around the stem 116. In some embodiments, the shim sleeve
150 may pivot with the body 140 as the body pivots about the stem
116. In other embodiments, however, the shim sleeve 150 may not
pivot with the body 140, but rather may stay substantially fixed on
the stem 116.
[0033] When a shim sleeve 150 is coupled between the two-way
pivoting body 140 and the stem 116 (as described below), a gap 123
may be present between the first portion 142 of the two-way
pivoting body 140 and the first sensor 122. Similarly, a gap 125
may be present between the second portion 144 of the two-way
pivoting body 140 and the second sensor 124. The gaps 123, 125 may
allow some movement of the buttons 102, 104 and/or the two-way
pivoting body 140 before the sensors 122, 124 are actuated, which
may prevent the sensors 122, 124 from being accidentally actuated,
such as when a slight force is applied to the buttons 102, 104. The
gaps 123, 125 may also create or enhance a "click" noise and/or
feel when a force is applied to the buttons 102, 104.
[0034] A perspective view of an embodiment of a shim sleeve 150 is
illustrated in FIG. 1C and a perspective view of another embodiment
of a shim sleeve 150' is illustrated in 1D. The shim sleeve 150
illustrated in FIG. 1C is generally shaped like a cylinder with a
portion of the sidewall of the cylinder cut-away. For example,
between 15 and 35 percent of the sidewall may be cut-away in some
embodiments, while other embodiments may include a larger or
smaller cut-away portion. In other words, the shim sleeve 150
illustrated in FIG. 1C is generally shaped like a split bushing
with the split or cut in the bushing extending between
approximately 60 and 120 degrees along the sidewall of the split
bushing. The shim sleeve 150 may include a top portion 152, a left
side portion 154, and a right side portion 156. As illustrated in
FIGS. 1C and 1D, the shim sleeve 150, 150' may be eccentrically
shaped in some embodiments. For example, the left and right side
portions 154, 156 may be thicker than the top portion 152 of the
shim sleeve 150, as shown in FIG. 1C.
[0035] In FIG. 1D, however, the top portion 152 is generally
thicker than the left and right side portions 154, 156. In other
embodiments, the left side portion 152 and/or the right side
portion 154 may be thicker than each other and/or than the top
portion 152; in general, the top, left, and right side portions
152, 154, 156 of the sidewall of the shim sleeve 150 may be of any
thickness. The top, left, and right side portions 152, 154, 156 may
also in some embodiments have a substantially uniform thickness,
thereby creating a cylinder with a substantially uniform radius.
The thickness of the top, left, and right side portions 152, 154,
156 may in some embodiments depend on the assembly gap between the
two-way pivoting body 140 and the stem 116. As the shim sleeve 150
may be installed after the assembly of the button assembly, the
dimensions of the shim sleeve may be customized to achieve a
desired fit.
[0036] Returning to the shim sleeve 150 illustrated in FIG. 1C, the
shim sleeve may include an inner surface 158 and an outer surface
159. The inner surface 158 may be shaped and configured to engage
at least a portion of the stem 116, and the outer surface 159 may
be shaped and configured to engage at least a portion of the
aperture or shaft receiving portion 146 of the two-way pivoting
body 140. Furthermore, the inner surface 158 may at least partially
enclose a recess. As described above, in the two-way pivoting body
140 illustrated in FIG. 1B, the shaft receiving portion 146
includes two generally parallel sidewalls and an arcuate upper
portion. Accordingly, the outer surface 159 of the shim sleeve 150
may be generally cylindrical as illustrated in FIGS. 1C and 1D.
Furthermore, the stem 116 illustrated in FIG. 1B includes a shaft
and a generally round top, and accordingly, the inner surface 158
of the shim sleeve 150 may be generally cylindrical as also
illustrated in FIGS. 1C and 1D. The generally cylindrical or
arcuate inner and outer surfaces 158, 159 may be extruded along the
length of the shim sleeve, thereby forming a generally cylindrical
shape. In general, the stem 116 and the shaft receiving portion 146
may take any form, in which case the first and second surfaces 158,
159 of the shim sleeve 150 may be properly adjusted to engage at
least a portion of the stem 116 and at least a portion of the shaft
receiving portion 146, respectively. The shim sleeve 150 may be
adjusted, for example, to adjust the vertical position of the
receiving portion 146 with respect to the stem 116.
[0037] Returning to FIG. 1D the shim sleeve 150' illustrated there
includes an inner surface 158 that is somewhat similar to the inner
surface 158 of the shim sleeve 150 illustrated in FIG. 1C because,
for example, the stem 116 to which the shim sleeves 150, 150' in
FIGS. 1C and 1D may be coupled may be somewhat similar. The shim
sleeve 150' in FIG. 1D, however, includes a modified second surface
159 as compared with the shim sleeve 150 in FIG. 1C. The second
surface 159 of the shim sleeve 150' in FIG. 1D may have been
modified because, for example, the shaft receiving portion of the
two-way pivoting body to which the shim sleeve 150' in FIG. 1D is
to be coupled is different than the shaft receiving portion to
which the shim sleeve 150 is to be coupled. For example, the shaft
receiving portion of the two-way pivoting body to which the shim
sleeve 150' in FIG. 1D is to be coupled may include two generally
parallel sidewalls and an arcuate upper portion, but the generally
parallel sidewalls may have a greater height than the generally
parallel sidewalls of the receiving portion for the shim sleeve 150
in FIG. 1C. The modified outer surface 159 of the shim sleeve 150'
illustrated in FIG. 1D may allow the two-way pivoting body to rest
at the same height as the two-way pivoting body for the shim sleeve
150 of FIG. 1C because of the modified outer surface 159 of the
shim sleeve 150'. In general, the inner and outer surfaces 158, 159
may be modified to adjust the vertical and/or horizontal position
of the two-way pivoting body 140 in relation to the stem 116, the
base 114, and/or the upper cover 112 of the housing 110 in a device
10.
[0038] The inner and outer surfaces 158, 159 of the shim sleeve 150
may in some embodiments be adjustable. For example, during
prototyping or even during use of a pivoting button assembly,
various sizes of a shim sleeve may be used and/or the inner and/or
outer surfaces of a single shim sleeve may be adjusted. Various
inner and/or outer surfaces of a shim sleeve may be used, for
example, to adjust the preload on a pivoting button assembly, or to
adjust for worn-down tools and molds, or to adjust for a worn stem
or shaft receiving portion. In other embodiments, however, the shim
sleeve 150 may not be adjustable. For example, a shim sleeve 150
may not be adjustable after it is coupled between a housing and a
two-way pivoting body, and an access area for the shim sleeve 150
is sealed.
[0039] The shim sleeves 150, 150 illustrated in FIGS. 1C and 1D may
in some embodiments be made of a smooth and slippery material, and
may in some embodiments even be self-lubricating. For example, the
shim sleeves may be made, at least in part, of
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Teflon.RTM., brass, metalized
graphite, engineering grade plastic, other materials commonly used
for bearings, or other types of metal, plastic, etc., or any
combination of the foregoing. In one example embodiment, the shim
sleeve 150 is made from an acetal resin, such as DELRIN.RTM.. A
smooth and slippery material may help reduce the friction between
the two-way pivoting body 140 and the shim sleeve 150, as well as
help reduce the friction between the stem 116 and the shim sleeve
150. Other embodiments of shim sleeves 150, however, may be made at
least in part by non-lubricious materials.
[0040] FIGS. 2A through 2D illustrate various additional
embodiments of a pivoting button assembly 200 and shim sleeve 250
that may be different from the pivoting button assembly 100 and the
shim sleeve 150 in FIGS. 1C and 1D. In FIG. 2A, for example, a
partial cross-section of a pivoting button assembly 200 is
illustrated with a generally square shaped shaft receiving portion
246. The two-way pivoting body 240 in FIG. 2A also includes
slightly tapered walls of the shaft receiving portion 246 in order
to, for example, prevent the shaft receiving portion from
contacting the base 214 of the housing 210. The shim sleeve 250
illustrated in FIG. 2B (which may in some aspects be similar to the
shim sleeves 150, 150' illustrated in FIGS. 1C and 1D) may be used
to shim the two-way pivoting body 240 in FIG. 2A. The shim sleeve
250 may include an inner surface 258 similar to the inner surface
158 of the shim sleeve 150 illustrated in FIG. 1C. The outer
surface 259 of the shim sleeve 250, however, may be substantially
different than the outer surface 159 of the shim sleeve 150 in FIG.
1C in order for the shim sleeve to fill the assembly gap between
the square shaped receiving portion 246 and the stem 216. The inner
and outer surfaces 258, 259 may be configured such that that shim
sleeve 250 is generally an extruded square shape with a center
cylinder portion cut-away.
[0041] As with the shim sleeves 150, 150' in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the
shim sleeve 250 in FIG. 2B may include a top portion 252, a left
side portion 254, and a right side portion 256, and these top, left
side, and right side portions 252, 254, 256 may be similar in
thickness, or may be different thicknesses, as described. In the
embodiment of FIG. 2B, the shim sleeve may pivot with the body 240,
rather than remaining fixed on the stem.
[0042] In FIG. 2C, a partial cross-section of a pivoting button
assembly 200 is illustrated, similar to the pivoting button
assembly 100 in FIG. 1B and the pivoting button assembly 200 in
FIG. 2A, except that two-way pivoting body 240 includes a stem 246
and the base 214 includes a shaft receiving portion 216 (as opposed
to, in FIG. 1B for example, the two-way pivoting body 140 including
the shaft receiving portion 146 and the base 114 including the stem
116). In other words, rather than the pivot point being fixed on
the base 114 in FIG. 1B, the pivot point in FIG. 2C is on the
two-way pivoting body 240.
[0043] In FIG. 2D, a partial cross-section of a pivoting button
assembly 200 is illustrated that includes a plurality of gaskets
270. The gaskets 270 may be compressible, and may be shaped similar
to conventional shims for conventional push-type mechanical buttons
(e.g., a flat disk shape). The gaskets 270 may at least partially
fill the gaps 223, 225, and may provide a smoother movement and
release of the two-way pivoting body 240. The gaskets 270 may also
help the body 240 to fit better within the housing 210.
[0044] In addition to the various embodiments illustrated in FIGS.
1B through 2D, still other embodiments of a pivoting button
assembly and/or shim sleeve are possible. For example, a shim
sleeve may include additional features or elements not shown in
FIGS. 1B through 2D, some of which are described below. As another
example, the shim sleeve may include one or more grooves or other
alignment mechanisms that may correspond to one or more grooves or
other alignment mechanisms on the stem and/or on any part of the
housing or other part of the pivoting button assembly. Also, the
shim sleeve may be solid or hollow.
[0045] FIG. 3A illustrates a device 30 with an embodiment of a
pivoting button assembly 300. The pivoting button assembly 300 in
FIG. 3A may be similar to the pivoting button assembly 100 in FIG.
1A, except that the buttons 302 and 304 are joined together above
the upper cover of the housing in FIG. 3A. The partial
cross-section view in FIG. 3B illustrates that the two-way pivoting
body 340 couples the two buttons 302, 304, but rather than the
coupling link between the two buttons 302, 304 being beneath the
upper cover 312 of the housing 310, the coupling link between the
two buttons 302, 304 in FIGS. 3A and 3B is made visible to a user
above the upper cover 312 of the housing 310. This increased
visibility may indicate to a user that the buttons 302, 304 are
pivotally coupled to one another.
[0046] FIG. 4A illustrates a device 40 with an embodiment of a
pivoting button assembly 400. The pivoting button assembly 400
differs from the button assemblies 100, 200, 300 illustrated in
FIGS. 1A through 3B in that the pivoting button assembly 400 in
FIG. 4A is configured to move in a plurality of axes, as opposed to
the single axis of movement allowed in the button assemblies 100,
200, 300 in FIGS. 1A through 3B. The pivoting button assembly 400
in FIG. 4A is configured to move in four directions (up, down,
left, and right, for example) via four buttons coupled to a
four-way pivoting body, and may be a four-way navigation device to
navigate, for example, through menus or through a video game. The
device 40 may be a remote control, a game controller, a personal
electronic device, or any other device. Also, the four-way pivoting
body of the pivoting button assembly 400 may include a first and
second portion (similar to the first and second portions 142, 144
of the two-way pivoting body 140 illustrated in FIG. 1B), but may
also include a third and fourth portion. The first, second, third,
and fourth portions may be configured to actuate one or more
sensors, for example four sensors in one embodiment. One or more of
the first, second, third, and fourth portions may include an access
opening through which the shim sleeve 450 may be installed, as
described below in connection with FIG. 6.
[0047] An embodiment of a shim sleeve 450 for use in the pivoting
button assembly 400 of FIG. 4A is illustrated in FIGS. 4B through
4D. The shim sleeve 450 may be generally spherically shaped, and
may comprise a top portion 452, a left side portion 454, a right
side portion 456, an inner surface 458, and an outer surface 459.
As with the shim sleeve 150, 150' in FIGS. 1C and 1D as described
above, the top portion 452, the left side portion 454, and the
right side portion 456 may be similar in thickness, or may be
eccentric and have different thicknesses. The inner surface 458 of
the shim sleeve 450 may be configured to engage a stem similar to
the stem 116 illustrated in FIG. 1B. The outer surface 459,
however, may be configured to engage a receiving portion of a
four-way pivoting body.
[0048] FIG. 5 illustrates a device 50 with an embodiment of a
pivoting button assembly 500. The pivoting button assembly 500 may
be similar to the pivoting button assembly 400 in FIG. 4A, except
that the pivoting button assembly 500 may be a continuous
navigation pad (e.g., not limited to only four directions). The
pivoting button assembly 500 may, similar to the pivoting button
assembly 400, include a multi-axis pivoting body and a shim sleeve.
The shim sleeve in the pivoting button assembly 500 may be similar
to the shim sleeve 450 illustrated in FIG. 4B in some embodiments.
The sensor(s) in the pivoting button assembly 500, however, may be
different in that there may be four or even more sensors. For
example, in some embodiments, the pivoting button assembly 500 may
include eight sensors. In other embodiments, the pivoting button
assembly 500 may include a single cylindrical-shaped sensor with
multi-sensing capabilities.
[0049] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart illustrating a method 600
for manufacturing a pivoting button assembly, such as the pivoting
button assembly 100 in FIG. 1A and or the button assemblies 200,
300, 400, 500 in FIGS. 2A through 5. In a first step 602, a shaft
may be installed. In a second step 604, a pivoting body may be
positioned within the housing, with the pivoting body being coupled
to the housing through the shaft and a shaft receiving portion, the
shaft receiving portion defining an arcuate structure configured to
receive at least a portion of the shaft. For example, for the
pivoting button assembly 100 in FIG. 1B, the pivoting body may
include the two-way pivoting body 140 and the two buttons 102, 104.
The two-way pivoting body 140 may include the shaft receiving
portion 146, which may be coupled to the shaft 116 in FIG. 1B.
[0050] After the pivoting body is positioned within the housing, in
a third step 606, the size and shape for a shim sleeve may be
determined, as described in detail above. In a fourth step 608, the
shaft may be shimmed with the sleeve positioned between the shaft
and the arcuate structure, and the sleeve configured to reduce the
gap between the shaft and the shaft receiving portion. For the
pivoting button assembly illustrated in FIG. 1B, if the two-way
pivoting body has at least one access opening, the shim sleeve 150
may be slid over the stem 116 from the side after the two-way
pivoting body 140 (and its buttons 102, 104) are already positioned
within the housing 110. This arrangement may allow the sleeve to be
added relatively late in the manufacturing process of a device, and
may also allow the sleeve to be removed and/or replaced without
removing the two-way pivoting body 140 from the housing 110. As
mentioned above, the shim sleeve 450 of the pivoting button
assembly 400 may similarly be inserted into the pivoting button
assembly 400 in accordance with the method of manufacture described
in FIG. 6. Also, the shim sleeves 250, 350 in FIGS. 2A through 3B
may similarly be inserted into the respective button assemblies
200, 300 in accordance with the method of manufacture described in
FIG. 6.
[0051] In a fifth step 610, a gasket may be added between the
pivoting body and at least one switch. In a sixth step 612, the
access opening through which the shim sleeve was inserted may be
sealed. Other steps in addition to or in place of the foregoing
steps may also be used in during the manufacturing of the pivoting
button assembly.
[0052] Although the foregoing discussion has presented specific
embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes
may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit
and scope of the embodiments. Accordingly, the specific embodiments
described herein should be understood as examples and not limiting
the scope thereof. For example, the pivot button assemblies
described may be incorporated into keyboards, trackpads, portable
mobile devices like tablets and phones and so on.
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